The prices go up at the beginning of April, so you need to rethink then.
??? £ 1.25 x2 is £ 2.50 ! 1 x1st + 1x 2nd is £ 2.00 + 1 x 20p stamp. Takes up a lot of room though. I always put the stamps on first now.
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I just popped into the main Post Office in Reading to pick up a Dinosaurs stamp presentation pack. I’ve decided to buy only presentation packs / sets of the new issues I like this year, rather than sheets. I get some nice new stamps, plus I’m incentivised to use up older stamps in my stash (mostly from Philatelink) 
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If sending outside of Europe, you might want to save some pennies and send via surface mail/international economy (but do indicate “international economy” on what you send). This currently 1st + 2nd, and will remain so with the postage rate increase next month. £2.00 then £2.20.
I did a surface mail experiment a few years ago - they ended up going by the airmail route.
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Quick question, how many postcards would I need to send a card to the US from Uk, would a 1st class do the trick? Or are multiple required, can’t get straight answers online anywhere
There is no lower postcard rate in the UK so you need £2.20 (soon to be £2.50 after the start of April) for airmail or £2 (soon to be £2.20) for ‘International Economy’ (which you would want to write on the card). A First Class is currently worth £1.25, so if you are only using First Class stamps, you need two.
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Thank you.
But if you do use two first class stamps, you are overpaying by quite a lot. I have been using International Economy (mentioned above) for all my postcards to the US and it’s made no difference to the travel time at all. For that, as has been said, you just need a first and a second class stamp.
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I have always liked vintage cards and FDCs, but since joining Postcrossing I have (maybe unfortunately 
) had my eyes opened to the special hand stamps/postmark… I can blame @Maddymail and @Natea for this. Now there is no turning back, but I would love some advice on how to collect them properly, and how to limit this new obsession…
How do others record them, and how many do you limit yourself to a month (or is that a lethal question?!) Thank you 
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They will either forward the card/letter for you (with the postmark), or return to you if you include a self addressed envelope (no stamp needed). But I am beginner!
I think @Seracker was sharing that thread because there’s lots of info from @Maddymail about postmarking 
. If you click into it you can read more about it. I’m more than happy to advise as well but I don’t request nearly as many postmarks as others here, I’m not very organised lol!!! X
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Oh I see 
Yes, I have read that (lots of times). Sorry I asking more, how do you keep a log of what you have (I m such a nerd 
).
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I don’t really collect them as such, I just might get some if I want to make my own maxicards. I’m not a very good example of that! I have mine uploaded in a Flickr album. Other people might have more ideas on how to record it all x
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I’m not really sure what kind of log you’re hoping for (I just keep folders with cards postmarked with specific themes) but some people (including me) also have little white cards (roughly 9x5cm) postmarked and store them in something like a business card folder, so I guess you could do something like that if you wanted them all together (but for the UK I believe you would still have to put at least a 2nd class stamp on the card to get it postmarked).
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Thank you. I m not sure about the log/collecting as yet, I just thought I would start as I mean to go on 
Surface international mail from the UK no longer exists.
The only three RM ships still afloat are one in domestic service in Canada (which obviously doesn’t carry mail for RM), RMS Queen Mary II (which only has the title RMS as a courtesy, it doesn’t carry mail) and the RMV Scillonian, which sails between Penzance and the Scillies and does carry mail.
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